Described as “One of the most important surf movies of our times” and YOU have the opportunity to come along and see it on the big screen. “Somewhere Near Tapachula” is a truly inspiring story of love, life and hope. Set in Tapachula, Mexico, this film follows the stories of 54 children from lives of poverty, trauma and abuse, and their journey to Mission Mexico, a children’s refuge founded by Australian couple Pam and Alan Skuse.

It also focuses on the unique surf community that they have pioneered in Tapachula, a coastal city with no other wave riders. The surfing experience has had a phenomenal impact on the children, creating an escape from their unimaginable pasts.

“Somewhere Near Tapachula” will challenge you with the important things in life and open your eyes to the power of riding waves, wether you are a surfer or not.

The film recently won the People’s choice award at Yallingup Surfilm Festival in W.A. It has also featured in the latest edition of Surfing World Australia and this week’s copy of Grazia Magazine. “Somewhere Near Tapachula” has also been nominated for the “Heart of Gold Award” in the International Film Festival held in Gympie this month.

You can check out the teaser trailer on www.somewhereneartapachula.com

This is going to be a fantastic night with live entertainment, art show, prizes and giveaways, Q&A with the director and producer and one of the stars from the film. 100% of profits go to Mission Mexico Children’s Refuge.

Maryborough Town Hall, Friday 19^th March.

Adults $ 15
Concession $ 10
 Family $ 40 (2 Adults, 2 Children).

Doors open: 6:45 pm
Tickets available by calling the numbers below or online at www.moshtix.com

For further information please contact:
Rachel 0424 190 494
Ana 0431 227 324
Lupita 0403 797 723

Monday night it was off with the girls for my second attempt at donating blood. You can read about my first amusing experience here. Both myself and my friend Emma were far more successful donating 440ml each and not doing the full bag of 470ml as the staff cut us short and told us we were too skinny …..Helloooooo I’ll take that as a compliment!

Kirsty another friend of mine came along too for her first go and went really well with no problems. She even had the Dalai Lama giving her guidance with his autobiography sitting on her lap!

Well done ladies, see you in 3 months time with hopefully some more recruits!

To find out more about the opportunity to donate blood and help others, please click here.

Please enjoy some words from my meditation and spiritual guidance teacher – Choeying Dolma (Resident Teacher| Buddhist Nun). We are very blessed to have Choeying on the Fraser Coast!

I received the news that the cancer in my mouth that I had over twenty years earlier had resurfaced for the second time. After having surgery and another biopsy I was told that the cancer had spread and they recommended I have more surgery along with radiation treatment. 

After surviving the ordeal of treatment for the second time I later found another lump.

Things were not looking good for me being able to enjoy a long life. My partner looked at me with so much love and compassion in his eyes as he asked, “Where would like to go or what you would like to do before you die . . .I will do whatever and go wherever you like? 

I was so touched by his loving kindness and replied, “I am very happy where I am at the moment but I would like to hold the hands of His Holiness the Dalai Lama before I die!” 

I later decided to go to India on a spiritual pilgrimage and become ordained as a Buddhist nun. On my return I had the great fortune of attending the visit of His Holiness the Dalai Lama while in Sydney. 

I could not believe my luck when I found myself staying in the same hotel as His Holiness and having the good fortune to meet him in the lobby. 

It was the most surreal moment of my life when he greeted me by lovingly placing my hands between his. . . making my dying wish come true.  I was spellbound being in the presence of such a holy man. I was awe struck by the tangible power of his compassion. 

In this profound moment I realised how compassion was SO much more powerful then anger and war. I tasted the possibility of compassion being the solution to all wars and could see clearly how His Holiness can stay resolute in choosing compassion over war with the Chinese Government. I pray the Chinese Government have the good karma to be in his presence to feel this powerful compassion to be able to let go of their fears enough to at least sit down and engage in peace talks with His Holiness.

At the time his hands embraced mine I remember thinking, “Now I truly can die happily!” 

It seems, up until this moment at least I still have the good karma to still be enjoying this precious life I have been given. I couldn’t have had this life in the first place without my parents and I am so grateful to them for giving birth to me. 

Facing death is a true blessing as it helps us to deeply understand how important it is to live and love well. It helps us to see clearly that this precious life can be taken from us without any notice. In fact most deaths are like that. 

 My journey helped me to understand on a very deep level many things that on reflection I only understood intellectually when teaching on impermanence for many years.

I am so grateful for getting cancer as it taught me to not take life for granted.

But it is, “Meditation” that keeps this memory alive in me and shows me ways to enhance my life in ways I never imagined. 

I would like to share with others just a few of the many insights meditation has shown me.

This life [that could be so short] needs to be lived mindfully, in the present moment, in order to be called a well lived life. 

That every moment we are not mindful by dwelling in the past or the future is the very moment we are robbed of truly living our life. 

How we constantly live in the past and the future and miss the present.

How in the present moment there are miracles all around us that we cannot see because we are not there. 

Cancer woke me up to how short and precious this life is and how important it is to not miss it.

Meditation clearly shows me how stress causes dis-ease and how meditation can cure mental and physical illnesses. It helps me to not to forget and lose this great gift I was given of being able to practice being present.  It reminds me how important it is to have peace and calm in my life Meditation has shown me that, “Pain is inevitable – Suffering is optional?” 

I am truly blessed and am ever grateful to my teachers who have so generously shared with me the precious gift of knowing how to meditate in a way that has bought me so much happiness and peace in my life and allowed me to see the many miracles that are all around me if I can just stay in the present moment – If I can just learn to sit and be with myself and dwell in the bliss of simply sitting with myself.

But most of all it reminds me how grateful I am to have such a wonderful tool in my life to help me stay calm, peaceful and free of suffering. 

I am so blessed to be able to share this precious gift with others by facilitating Calm Abiding Meditation Courses and Weekend Retreats at the Oddiyana Dharma Sanctuary

Now my dying wish is… 

“May all beings find the gift of meditation to find true happiness and be free from suffering!” 

Choeying Dolma
(resident teacher) 

For more information on finding peace and calm in your life plus learning meditation please contact Choeying at THE ODDIYANA DHARMA SANCTUARY – 4125 5530 or 0408 257 071.

Or register ONLINE for the next meditation course starting at the end of February:
 www.oddiyanadharmasanctuary.org

Yesterday I set off with some mates to map out the route for a trail run across Fraser Island to be hosted later in the year (click here to subscribe for info on the event). I hiked / jogged 25km from Kingfisher Bay Resort to Eurong Resort the width of Fraser Island. We ran though bush, soft sand and beautiful rain forest. The 25km part of the trek took 5:45mins with a few breaks.

After lunch & a recharge break at Eurong the boys headed on further completing another 23km’s going up the beach to Lake Wabby, tackling a huge sand dune and came back around to meet us at the 4wd.

We were all thoroughly exhausted at the end of the day. I enjoyed a huge steak before we got the 8.30pm barge home last night.

It was an AWESOME ADVENTURE but I’m very stiff today!

Well I can already tell this is going to be a very long month!

It’s nearly the end of day 3 without an alcoholic beverage and I’m quite surprised I haven’t got the shakes yet.
It’s strange, when you can’t have a beer at the end of the day; you tend to think about beer all day!!
I’m certainly craving a Pure Blonde! 

What is Feb Fast?
Participating in a Booze Free February!!!

What’s in it for me?
Lose weight, save money, gain more energy and raise money for charity!!  All very positive outcomes! 

I’ve finally got my registration in order so; if you would like to make a donation to support me on what I consider to be a huge challenge please click here to make a donation that goes straight to charity.

Proceeds raised through registration and fundraising go towards the Australian Drug Foundation, YSAS (the Youth Substance Abuse Service in Victoria), Mater Hospital’s Adolescent Drug and Alcohol Withdrawal Service (Queensland), The Ted Noffs Foundation (NSW and ACT) and FebFast’s grants program for smaller grass-roots organisations.

These days, ‘working your way to the top’ is almost unheard of, but not for chartered accountant, Toni McCulloch, who has just celebrated her 15th year with a Local accountancy firm … Accounting North ….

PLUS had been an awesome business mentor & best friend to me for 19 years…. (I wonder which has been the hardest job!)

To learn more about this inspiring & motivated business woman and her remarkable achievements please click here and read her Profile Magazine editorial.

I’ve decided to finally wind down from the festive season and have decided February is the month to do it, so today is the start of Feb Fast for me, one month without alcohol!!!

What is FebFast?

FebFast is a charity that is now in its third year of operation.

We work to reduce the impact of alcohol and other drugs on young Australians by raising funds to support organisations working in research, prevention and service delivery concerning alcohol and other drugs use by young people.

We conduct a national education, awareness and fundraising campaign that invites people to sacrifice their alcohol consumption during February, and at the same time raise funds to support youth alcohol and other drug services.

Over the past two years we have seen more than 3,500 people take up the FebFast challenge to give up the grog for amonth. Collectively these people have raised more than $700,000 to support our cause

This is going to be hard work, so lucky for me I’m very good at achieving anything that is hard work + you can always buy a ‘Time Out’ (phew takes the pressure off a little)!!

Buy a Time Out; You don’t have to miss out on a special event! You can purchase a $25 date stamped Time Out Certificate to have a guilt-free day off from your FebFast.

Another beautiful day in Hervey Bay, that’s what!

This morning’s exercise regime:
10km bike ride, 3km run, 1000 steps, 300 sit ups + some SUPping (Stand Up Paddle Boarding)
…. followed by bacon, eggs and coffee.

The ocean was crystal clear this morning.

Life is good! 

Voluntary Administration to Managing Director in FOUR MONTHS!!

Well welcome to Hervey Bay Malcolm Quinn!
Will you now be giving me back my $2,505 you owe me for my ticket to the Donald Trump seminar?! (Read more here.)  I’ve have been secretly hoping Karma (or the courts) would deal with this.

Wow and you’re starting a new advertising firm after putting your last one the ‘Concept Store’ in Voluntary Administration just four months ago, after racking up the below debts?

To cap off Quinn’s woes, the creditors are mounting up.

So far, just 1500 tickets out of 8000 have been sold, and those ticket holders are owed an estimated $1.5 million.

Trump himself is demanding the further $950,000 he says he is still owed, whether the tour goes ahead or not.

Sponsor Sarina Russo faces a loss of nearly $50,000. Gold Coast Convention Centre is owed $16,000. Sydney PR guru Max Marxson says he’s “sold a few tickets” to the event, but is probably going to have to “write it all off to experience”

“Think Like a Billionaire” had been badly promoted by Mr Quinn, whose background was in newspaper publishing and advertising. ………. “I think it was amateurish and unprofessional. It was obvious the promoters here bit off more than they could chew.”………..

….. click here to read more …… or here  …… or here …… or here …..

Superior Advertising, poor Mr Quinn would be lucky to manage a chook raffle with his track record!

Anyway all the best ………. I guess I can always start a competition publication….. Mr Trump may like to buy my first Front Cover!

For HONEST, PROFESSIONAL & OUTSTANDING Marketing & Advertising on the Fraser Coast make sure you utilise a professional with a proven & award winning track record DESIGN HOUSE!!

OMG for the last week I must have received at least 30 nuisance phone calls!

Most being about INSULATION!!!!
My work phone especially but even on my home phone number which is a private number! (Nice one Telstra, what am I paying for there!)

If you are fed up like me register your number here. (Please note I have all ready previously registered on here and still am getting bombarded but I will try again!!!)

Click here to Register or re-register your home or mobile phone number!

I decided this week’s new challenge would be ‘Giving Blood’. I’ve never done this before but have wanted to for ages. Therefore with a best mate of mine Emma in town, who is an experienced blood donor I ceized the opportunity and asked her if she may like to take me for my first experience! 

We had a big lunch, drank heaps of water and headed to the Hervey Bay Blood Bank. After filling in our forms we had our blood pressure taken, followed by a finger prick test to read if our Haemoglobin levels were within a healthy range and were then taken into the blood taking room. 

As Emma was quicker than me with the paperwork being a regular donor you can imagine my surprise when walking in and finding her nearly upside down, legs in the air, ice pack on her arm and damp cloth on her forward!!! I just thought OMG what am I in for deciding whether it would be rude or not to giggle at Emma!!!! Poor Emma’s experience didn’t go as well as usual this time (even though she still had a smile on her face!), but being such a great mate I busted her in this amusing position saying to the nurses “quick, quick get me right before Jeanette comes in and sees” (not wanting me to freak out!) then saying, “see I told you she would take a photo!”

Next it was my turn. I was a little nervous before I had even seen Emma  and had already gone to the toilet 3 times as you have to drink heaps of water, 2L is recommended! I was fine with the needle, everything was going well, the nurse asked me how I was feeling and I said maybe a little light headed but that could be due to nerves. I then mentioned that my hands were starting to sweat, she decided that was enough for my first time. They took 270ml out which I thought was not too bad for my first go. 

1 in 3 Australians will need blood products.
1 in 30 Australians give blood.

Donating blood – Giving blood takes just 5-10 minutes but you should allow about an hour from arrival to departure, which includes time for your interview and refreshments. You’ll feel a small pinch as the needle goes in, but it feels no worse than a pinch on the inside of your elbow. If you’re nervous about donating blood, let our staff know.

Safety – All equipment is sterile; needles are used only once and then discarded. In the great majority of individuals, a donation of 470mL is less than 10% of your total body volume and may be given safely every 12 weeks. Your body keeps on discarding and replenishing blood all the time whether you give blood or not, so this amount is quickly replenished.

Click here to learn more

Not the best odds, so get involved!

The Law of Attraction says people’s thoughts (both conscious and unconscious) dictate the reality of their lives, whether or not they’re aware of it. Essentially “if you really want something and truly believe it’s possible, you’ll get it”,… click here to learn more.

The Secret teaches us that we create our lives, with every thought every minute of every day…. click here to learn more.

I am a huge believer in this theory and see the effects of it in my live on a very regular basis. What you put out to the universe is what you will recieve. Only you have the choice of whether you attract good or bad into your life.

This Tuesday when our Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was in town on Melbourne Cup day for talks re our health system I put it out there to have a photo with him on my facebook profile stating, “The PM is in Hervey Bay today, hope I see him to get a snapshot!!!”

The following day we both made the front page of the local newspaper!!!! (I am the small picture top right ha ha!)

Unfortunately on this occasion I made a slight flaw forgetting to put it out there to meet and be photographed together in person, not at different events!  

Ok time to put it out there again, see how I go this time….

“Dear Jeanette, thank you so much for visiting me in New York, I am so thrilled we finally have had a photo taken together. I would love to pay for your trip! “…. lol your mate forever Donald Trump

[Some info & images via Wikipedia, The Secret & Donald Trump websites]

Today at 10.30am I went to Changes Gym in Hervey Bay for my first ever ZUMBA class.

Ricky Salomao our Instructor is from Rio in Brazil and certainly put us through a FUN & High energy workout!

Ricky was extremely funny as he instructed us how to do our Latin fitness moves to the pumped up Latin music.

The Zumba® program fuses hypnotic Latin rhythms and easy-to-follow moves to create a one-of-a-kind fitness program that will blow you away. Our goal is simple: We want you to want to work out, to love working out, to get hooked.

….. click here to learn more.

Ricky also mentioned to me he would be training people to take over to tackle the Kokoda Trail plus doing adventure & training days on Fraser Island. I’m in!!!!

I can’t wait till he returns from vacation in January so I can start attending regular ZUMBA classes!

WTF What a waste of rate payer’s money!!!

$150,000 spent on an eyesore!

What a disaster to have a council in power that would approve to waste that much of rate payer’s money on a sign!!! ….. and then they had the hide to make it look UGLY!
OMG how embarrassing for Hervey Bay!!!

Councillor Anne Nioa who approved this sign states she wanted, ‘something that would represent a contemporary community’.  I’m at a lost how a sign that utilises cluttered collage design trends from the 70’s could possibly be passed off as a modern or contemporary representation of our area. 

From a Qualified & Experienced Professional Designer’s point of view:
It is far too BUSY & CLUTTERED, does not look BALANCED, the colours CLASH, the YELLOW is not part of the Style Guide The Council had designed in Brisbane!!, the word FRASER COAST is lost over the waves & far too small to be read by passing vehicles, the WHALE looks like a grade 3 student drew it & congratulations to them if they did, the structural framework is distracting (wood & aluminium) or is that supposed to be part of the design? …. and that’s just a start, pity I can’t see the whole sign in the editorial. 

Comment from Councillor Sue Brook’s blog when she saw the initial proof…. 

In the FCC today we see a depiction of the new entrance sign for Hervey Bay. I do think that community consultation would assist the development of what I believe are community signs rather than ‘Council signs’ and I do have some concerns that this particular sign is a bit too ‘busy’ and that the free standing bits and pieces won’t stand out against a varying background. 

Another comment from the blog of Councillor Sue Brooks: 

I noticed that the Hervey Bay entrance sign due to be installed on the Hervey Bay Maryborough Rd was shown in the weekend edition of  The Independent. While I like the general look of the sign I worry that the detail will get lost in the background once installed. I must be old fashioned as I prefer a simple stone wall and the words ‘welcome’ and ‘farewell’ on city entrance/exit signs. The sign has been workshopped through Council after being developed by Cr Nioa and the Marketing and Tourism Portfolio team. It will be a relief to finally have a sign for Hervey Bay so fingers crossed that ‘it works’. 

No you are not old fashioned Sue, you clearly have an eye for design plus the elements that will and won’t work and probably should have pushed harder for a professional & community opinion to be sought on the draft. Anyway from past experience we all know how the Council operates on these matters……. 

Oh Dear! How long till the next election………??!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Saturday night was the hugest Salsa Party to date with over 200 people dancing up a Salsa storm @ the Bayswater. 

The fun started at lunch time with Hervey Bay’s Jeanette Maynes from Design House and event manager of the Salsa Group parading the incredible Latin dance performers from Vida Latina Dance Co. along our Esplanade at Torquay promoting their upcoming performance; Latin Fantasy “Lolita’s Story’ creating quite a stir ….. click here to read more about the party and view the gallery.

A big Thank You to the Vida Latina Dance Troupe, I Harte Latin, the Bayswater Hotel, Design House, Fraser Coast Chronicle & the Salsa Group and all those who attended making these nights possible!!!!

Recently I had my first go on a SUP (Stand Up Paddleboard) when my best mates husband brought his to town; story here. The following day at Scarness when SUPING he was approached by Enzo who was inquisitive about the boards and bringing them to the bay.

Well, when having a coffee this afternoon at Enzo’s on the Beach Cafe what did a spot but a SUP!!!!!!

How exciting!
I spoke to Enzo to find out the go and to hire one is $40 for an hour or I think $50 an hour if you require a lesson.

To buy a OXBOW SUP brand new from Enzo you would be looking at:
10’6 foot SUP $1,495
Carbon Paddle (light) $395 or Aluminium Paddle (adjustable height) $195
Pads (No slip rubber) $295 

I know what I will be doing this weekend!!! 

Call Enzo today for more info: 07 4124 6375

Yesterday it was off to destination unknown with our local Hervey Bay Beachfit Trainers & Commando! We left by bus at 7am and were home just before 4pm. 

Our first destination being Mt Walsh at Biggenden which we climbed taking 01:16mins to complete. It was extremely steep, slippery and quite scary in some places and you could certainly feel the burn in your calves on the way up and quads on the way down! 

Rangers Warning; only experienced walkers should attempt the 2·5 hour hike to the summit of Mt Walsh. 

Next we were dropped at a gate near Lenthalls Dam and instructed to run to the Boat Ramp. This turned out being over 5km on a dirt road in the very hot sun! We then had to blow up our inflatable kayaks and do 6 laps per team around the lilly pads in the middle of the dam. On completion we undertook an orientation course with several amusing tasks including, swinging out over a river, making a balloon doll, jogging with our legs tied together. All tasks had to be photographed to prove we had completed what was required. This took us 01:46mins. 

By the time we had our delicious healthy lunch we were thoroughly exhausted! 

The team I was in team WON in the end by ONE point! 96 to 95 …. What an extremely well planned course to achieve such a close result! 

I thoroughly enjoyed a low carb beer on the way home thanks to Emma! What an AWESOME day, can’t wait for the next one!

As I love learning new things last week I went to see a kinesiologist due to the recommendation from a best friend; not really know much about the practice of Kinesiology at all.

It was explained that kinesiology is a way of identifying imbalances in the body including buried or suppressed issues and releases the emotion attached to a memory.
We don’t forget past issues but realise the emotions of attachment so we can objectively recognise the lesson without distortion.

After reading the energy coming from my body she explained I had disconnected from my earth node (crikey!) and then rectified this for me.

She explained an issue out of my control that had caused me pain over the past few years had also happened in a past life making the process of putting it behind me far harder than usual.

I explained I felt sorry for the people who cause me hurt and she explained this is Sympathy;

‘Sympathy – harmony of or agreement in feeling, as between persons or on the part of one person with respect to another.’ 

This is not appropriate as there is no harmony or respect from the other persons. It also stimulates a poor me attitude, allowing those persons to still have control. I should instead look upon the situation with Empathy;

‘Empathy – Identification with and understanding of another’s situation, feelings, and motives.’  

I can forgive the people as they are deluded, I will not forget but I have moved on, it is in the past. My mind will continue to remain empowered to stand in my own strength. Therefore I can clearly see the situations as they are and am appreciative for the opportunity these people have given me to learn more about myself plus the development of new life changing knowledge and skills. They have taught me about the sort of person I don’t want to be.

Now when I think of people or thoughts that used to instantly make me angry my mind does not change from its calm level and my emotion remains the same. This I feel is new, excellent and very exciting!

An interesting saying I once read, goes something like this….. “Imagine if everyone threw their problems into a hat, would you pick a new one out or prefer to keep your own!!!”

I felt extremely relaxed and tingling sensations as I felt the energy moving within my body as we worked on healing the different energies and issues that arise on their own. I felt light as a feather afterwards! What a wonderful practice to experience, extremely interesting and I learnt so much! May have to go again for the fun of it!

 This has been a year of big changes for me (Choeying)  personally as well as the Meditation Room which has now been formally named The Oddiyana Dharma Sanctuary.

Change is usually difficult for most people.  I was fortunate (or unfortunate as some may see it) enough to grow up in a family where things were constantly changing around me….. please click here to read more.